The Guitar Channel

Favorite Albums of 2012

2012 was a tremendous year for progressive guitar music. Here are my favorite releases of the year, in no particular order.

 

Michael Landau - Organic Instrumentals

Landau's first instrumental album since 1990's Tales From The Bulge is one of my favorite guitar records in many years, let alone this one. Awesome tones, dynamic playing, deep writing. A must-have for serious guitar geeks.

Wayne Krantz - Howie 61

Krantz took a bold new step with this album, and the results are rich and engrossing. A fantastic production filled with heady writing, and an amazing lineup of musicians.

Jimmy Herring - Subject To Change Without Notice

Awesome follow-up to 2008's Lifeboat. Highly textured with killer playing and grooves.

Alex Machacek, Raphael Preuschl, Herbert Pirker - FAT

Adventurous and dynamic with a great variety of guitar tones. Further proof that Machacek is among the most forward-thinking modern jazz composers of his generation.

Kurt Rosenwinkel - Star of Jupiter

Can't get enough of this one. Uber-deep jazz record, filled with great writing and improvisation.

Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats - Live Meat And Potatoes

Funky, energetic live release with killer guitar work from Jeff Kollman. Nobody grooves like the Meatbats.

OHMPhrey - Posthaste

Stellar recording from the OHM-meets-Umphrey's McGee supergroup. Loaded with great riffs and playing. Everybody shines here, but the twin guitar attack of Chris Poland and Jake Cinninger is particularly awesome.

Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin, Dennis Chambers - HBC

What a band. Killer disc packed with guitar-driven trio versions of fusion classics. Henderson is amazing as always.

Karizma - Perfect Harmony

A 3-disc smorgasbord from keyboardist/composer David Garfield's classic west coast jazz band. Features a who's-who of the genre's luminaries, including Michael Landau.

The Aristocrats - Boing, We'll Do It Live!

Amazing live CD/DVD release with insane playing and band interplay. Guthrie Govan's guitar work is both musical and mind-blowing.

Other favorites from 2012:

Prashant Aswani - Visions
Chris Poland, Frank Catalano, Sean O'Bryan Smith, Jim Gifford - Polcat
Tribal Tech - X
Tohpati Bertiga - Riot
John McLaughlin & the 4th Dimension - Now Here This
Paul Gilbert - Vibrato
Gary Husband - Dirty & Beautiful, Vol. 2
OHM - Tsunami Jams
Ed DeGenaro - Holiday In Madras
Flying Colors
Chad Wackerman - Dreams, Nightmares and Improvisations
Chris Buck - 3 Crows
Jason Sadites - Broken
Renegade Creation - Bullet
Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day
Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth (Ed note: \m/)

See Also:

Favorite Albums of 2011
Favorite Albums of 2010
Favorite Albums of 2009
Favorite Albums of 2008
Favorite Albums of 2007
Favorite Albums of 2006

Video: John McLaughlin & the 4th Dimension - "Now Here This" Preview

"Echos from Then" from the upcoming John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension album Now Here This, releasing Oct 12th. John McLaughlin (guitar), Gary Husband (Keyboards), Etienne Mbappé (bass), Ranjit Barot (drums).

New John McLaughlin Album "Now Here This" To Be Released Oct 18th

ACCLAIMED GUITARIST JOHN MCLAUGHLIN ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF NOW HERE THIS SET FOR OCTOBER 18^TH RELEASE ON ABSTRACT LOGIX

(Los Angeles, CA) – It has been nearly two years since world-renowned guitarist John McLaughlin released To the One, his highly acclaimed, first studio recording, with The 4th Dimension. The veteran guitar aficionado celebrates his 70th birthday year with the announcement of Now Here This (Abstract Logix) set for release on October 18th as he ups-the-ante even further with greater fire, finesse and freewheeling interplay.

McLaughlin’s musical influences carry over to many of the musical elite also declaring him to be “the best guitarist alive,” as Jeff Beck mused in 2010. In 2003, McLaughlin was ranked 49th in Rolling Stone magazine list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and in the summer of 2007, McLaughlin performed at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Bridgeview, Illinois. Chick Corea remarked to DownBeat Magazine that “…what John McLaughlin did with the electric guitar set the world on its ear. No one ever heard an electric guitar played like that before, and it certainly inspired me. John's band, more than my experience with Miles, led me to want to turn the volume up and write music that was more dramatic and made your hair stand on end.

McLaughlin’s latest creative venture with The 4th Dimension, reflects a slight, yet significant, alteration of the dynamic, specifically the recruitment of powerhouse Indian drummer Ranjit Barot. Cameroon-born/Paris-resident bassist Etienne M'Bappe is back from To the One, as is keyboardist/drummer Gary Husband. This 8-track set of McLaughlin originals testifies to the guitarist's decades-long fascination with Indian music, through his effortless virtuosity, and relentless lyricism, even when the guitarist is shredding at near-light speed. 

As John himself simply states, “Now Here This  is the culmination of my life's work till now.”

The critical praise for McLaughlin’s latest musical venture is cascading forth; John Fordham of The Guardian declares, …this tight 40-minute document hums with a collaborative energy. There is little doubt that McLaughlin's return to the electrified fusion he first innovated more than 40 years ago in groups led by trumpet icon Miles Davis and drum legend Tony Williams - and, of course, with his own earth-shattering Mahavishnu Orchestra - is as electrifying and exhilarating as ever. And for those new to the genre, Now Here This is the perfect introduction - one that will surely encourage them to also dive, head-first, into this legendary guitarist's lengthy and groundbreaking discography.

Upcoming Tour Dates

---

27/10/12 Toulouse France
28/10/12 Bordeaux France
30/10/12 Lille France
31/10/12 Strasbourg France
01/11/12 Zurich Switzerland
03/11/12 Wroclaw Poland
04/11/12 Gdansk Poland
05/11/12 Warsaw Poland TBC
07/11/12 Ravensburg Germany
08/11/12 Leverkusen Germany
09/11/12 Dresden Germany
11/11/12 London UK
14/11/12 Novosibirsk Russia
16/11/12 St Petersburg Russia
17/11/12 Moscow Russia TBC
18/11/12 Minsk Russia
19/11/12 Helsinki Finland
20/11/12 Oslo Norway
21/11/12 Oslo Norway
23/11/12 Chiasso Italy
24/11/12 Sacile Italy

UK Reunion Tour Dates with Alex Machacek

A reunited UK will be playing the following 2012 dates in Europe with the lineup of Eddie Jobson (keys, violin, vocals), John Wetton (bass, vocals), Alex Machacek (guitar), and Gary Husband (drums).

 

May 24 - Under The Bridge, London, England 

May 26 - De Boerderij, Amsterdam, (Zoetermeer), Netherlands 

May 27 - Colos-Saal, Frankfurt, (Aschaffenberg), Germany 

May 29 - Lucerna Music Bar, Prague, Czech Republic 

May 30 - Klub Studio, Krakow, Poland 

Current Listening

Some of the new stuff I've been digging...

OHMPhrey - Posthaste

Sophomore release from the instrumental jam-fusion supergroup. Killer tunes; deeper writing than their 2009 debut. Guitarists Chris Poland and Jake Cinninger are ruling throughout.

Flying Colors

Awesome prog-rock vocal project with Steve Morse, Dave LaRue, Neal Morse, MIke Portnoy and Casey McPherson. Great riffs and melodies.

 

Jeff Kollman - Silence In The Corridor

Highly melodic writing with a deep, textured production. Great playing and tones as well. Lineup includes Ric Fierabracci, Jimmy Johnson, Shane Gaalaas, Ed Roth and Joel Taylor among others.

Allan Holdsworth - Hard Hat Area [Re-Issue]

Remastered version of Holdsworth's excellent 1993 release with Gary Husband, Steve Hunt, and Skuli Sverrisson, complete with new liner notes from Barry Cleveland. Holdsworth's "Low Levels, High Stakes" solo still stands as one of his all-time best.

Allan Holdsworth - None Too Soon [Re-Issue]

The second of Holdsworth's recent reissues is a remastered version of his classic disc of jazz standards, played as only Holdsworth can. Lineup features Gordon Beck, Gary Willis and Kirk Covington. Also includes new liner notes by Barry Cleveland.

John McLaughlin European Tour Dates

John McLaughlin will be playing the following dates in Europe with his band, the 4th Dimension  (Gary Husband - keys and drums, Etienne Mbappé - bass and Ranjit Barot - drums).

OCTOBER
27/10/12 Toulouse Jazz sur son 31 France
28/10/12 Bordeaux ,Le Rocher de Palmer France
29/10/12 Paris ,Trianon France
30/10/12 Lille, France
31/10/12 Strasbourg, France

NOVEMBER
01/11/12 Zurich No Jazz Festival, Switzerland
03/11/12 Wroclaw, Poland
04/11/12 Gdansk, Poland
07/11/12 Ravensburg, Germany
08/11/12 Leverkusen, Germany
09/11/12 Dresden, Germany
11/11/12 London, London Jazz Festival, UK
14/11/12 Novosibirsk, Russia
16/11/12 Moscow, Crocus City Hall, Russia
17/11/12 St Petersburg, BKZ Oktjabrskij Russia
18/11/12 Minsk, Russia
19/11/12 Helsinki, Finland
20/11/12 Oslo, Norway
21/11/12 Oslo, Norway
23/11/12 Chiasso, Italy
24/11/12 Sacile, Italy

Gary Husband "Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2" Review by Walter Kolosky

Author Walter Kolosky has written a great review of Gary Husband's amazing new album Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 (which features Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Wayne Krantz, Alex Machacek, Jimmy Herring, and Robin Trower among others). Check it out on Kolosky's newly updated site.

Review: Gary Husband - Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 by Walter Kolosky

Current Listening

I've been listening to a TON of great new music lately. Here's what I've had in heavy rotation...

The Michael Landau Group - Organic Instrumentals

Landau's first all-instrumental album since his 1990 debut Tales From The Bulge absolutely RULES. Great writing and production, killer playing, amazing tones. Line-up includes Gary Novak, Andy Hess, Jimmy Haslip, Larry Goldings, Vinnie Colaiuta, and others.

Polcat

Way-cool jazz fusion project with Chris Poland on guitar, Frank Catalano on sax, Sean O'Bryan Smith on bass, and Jim Gifford on drums. Awesome grooves and playing. Poland is a great fit.

Chad Wackerman - Dreams, Nightmares and Improvisations

Wackerman's latest features Allan Holdsworh on guitar, Jimmy Johnson on bass, and Jim Cox on keys - the same band Wackerman utilized for his 1991 solo debut Forty Reasons. Lots of group improv on this one. Holdsworth is amazing as usual.

Gary Husband - Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2

Excellent modern fusion album; a more-than-worthy follow-up to 2010's Volume 1. Amazing guest list includes Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Wayne Krantz, Alex Machacek, Jimmy Herring, Mike Stern, Robin Trower, Ray Russell and Jan Hammer.

Ed DeGenaro - Holiday In Madras

Deep fusion with a strong Indian influence. Ed drops some amazing Shawn Lane-like runs as well. Personnel includes Ric Fierabracci and Marco Minnemann among others.

Steve Weingart & Renee Jones - Dialogue

This one's been out a while but I've been digging into it more lately. Super high-quality electric jazz album with great writing and playing. Features the always-tasty Mike Miller on guitar. Steve Lukather also guests on one track.

Tribal Tech - X

One of the greatest fusion bands ever is back with their first new album in 12 years. Features a good balance of group improv and composition. Scott Henderson's current, more blues-oriented approach gives the band a different flavor than it had in the old days.

Wayne Krantz - Howie 61

This won't be released until mid-April but I had the honor of writing the press release for it so I've been digging the tracks for awhile. Krantz, once again, strikes out in a new direction here with fresh take on composition and production. Line-up includes Vinnie Colaiuta, Tal Wilkenfeld, Keith Carlock, Pino Palladino, David Binney, John Patitucci, Anton Fig and many others.

Video: Gary Husband - Dirty and Beautiful Album Story

Gary Husband discusses his new album Dirty and Beautiful Volume 2 coming February 21st from Abstract Logix. Guests include Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Wayne Krantz, Alex Machacek, Jimmy Herring, Mike Stern, and Robin Trower among others.

Gary Husband "Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2" Sampler

Gary Husband Dirty and Beautiful Vol 2 Sampler by abstractlogix.

Sampler from Gary Husband's upcoming album Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2. Release date - February 21st 2012. Guests include Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Wayne Krantz, Alex Machacek, Jimmy Herring, Mike Stern, and Robin Trower among others.

Gary Husband's "Dirty & Beautiful Vol 2" (featuring Allan Holdsworth, Alex Machacek, Wayne Krantz, and others) Now Available For Pre-Order

Jazz fusion multi-instrumentalist Gary Husband's latest album Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 will be released on February 21st 2012, and is now available for pre-order. Similarly to his 2010 release Dirty & Beautiful Volume 1, the new disc includes an assortment of special guests including Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Wayne Krantz, Alex Machacek, Jimmy Herring, Mike Stern, Robin Trower, and others. See full tracklisting below.

Pre-Order: Gary Husband - Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2

Tracklisting:

1. IF THE ANIMALS HAD GUNS TOO (featuring Ray Russell)
2. ROLLING SEVENS (featuring Mike Stern)
3. NEW BLUES, OLD BRUISE (featuring Sean Freeman)
4. EAST RIVER JAM (featuring Wayne Krantz)
5. FRED 2011 (featuring Allan Holdsworth and Jan Hammer)
6. RAIN (featuring Neal Taylor)
7. LOCK, STOCK & TWO SMOKING BROTHERS (featuring Alex Machacek)
8. FUGUIE
9. SULLEY (featuring John McLaughlin and Mark King)
10. ENGLAND GREEN (featuring Jimmy Herring)
11. YESTERNOW - EPILOGUE (featuring Robin Tower)

New Abstract Logix New Universe Music Festival DVD Trailer

Here's an updated trailer for the Abstract Logix Live - New Universe Music Festival 2-DVD set. This version includes snippets from my interviews and the John McLaughlin tribute jams. I've been watching the DVDs all week. Absolutely killer stuff.